Guide bar motion for warp knitting machines



April 5, 1949. J. R. M LAUGHLIN ,4

GUIDE BAR MOTION FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 21, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l kw/z A T TORNEY April 1 J. R. MCLAUGHLIN 2,466,036

GUIDE BAR MOTION FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 21, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v mum IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY April 1949- Y J. R. MCLAUGHLIN 2,466,036

GUIDE BAR MOTION FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 21, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s fi f2 I 2 3 gf 22 v INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUIDE BAR MOTION FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Application July 21, 1947, Serial No. 762,480

8 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to warp knitting machines, and more particularly to improvements for imparting a desired motion to the warp guide bars of such machines.

The present invention is concerned primarily with warp knitting machines having one or more needle bars on which latch type needles are mounted and having one or more warp guide bars above the needle bars on which the thread guides are mounted. The needle bars are arranged for upward and downward movement which is effected by suitable cams and linkage. The guide bars are arranged for forward and backward rocking motion whereby the guides are moved to and fro between the needles, this motion being efiected by a cam and linkage. The guide bars also are arranged for endwise pat terning motion whereby the guides move longitudinally with respect to the needles, the latter motion being eifected by a pattern cam wheel or cam chain, hereinafter referred to as the pattern cam. The effect of these two guide bar motions is to lap the warps or selected warps on the needles.

The motion of the needle bar and the motions of the guide bar are timed so that, when the needles move upwardly towards the guides, the guides swing rearwardly through the needles. By reason of the shape of the cam required for effecting rocking movement of the guides, the guides move most rapidly just before and after they have reached their rearmost position and remain at their rearmost position only momentarily. While in this position, the guides are moved transversely with respect to the needles either towards the left or the right. In order to effect such longitudinal movement while the rocking motion of the guides momentarily has ceased, the guide bar must be moved very rapidly. In view of the fact that a cam contour of the pattern cam is utilized to effect such longitudinal movement, the rapidity of the movement is limited by the permissible change of such cam contour, which, due to the weight of the parts to be moved and other factors, cannot be sufficiently great to provide the desired speedy longitudinal movement.

Heretofore it has been customary to drive the pattern cam intermittently, but such an intermittent drive, due to recurring starts and stops, introduces high inertia forces which prohibit operation of the machine at high speeds.

It has also been proposed to operatively associate a second cam with the pattern cam which approximately doubles the distance of the longitudinal movement of the guide bars in a given time when the guides and needles are in the aforementioned respective back and up positions. Since each guide bar is moved longitudinally individually by its own pattern cam, the use of secondary cams doubles the number of cams required for this movement, thereby greatly increasing the size, weight and complexity of the machine.

The present invention aims to overcome the foregoing objections and disadvantages by providing an improved guide bar motion arrangement for warp knitting machines.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved warp knitting machine wherein the guide bars are moved rapidly in an en-iwise or longitudinal direction while the needles are up and the guides are back.

Another object is to provide means for effecting such movement which are light in weight, small in size, simple in design, economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

Another object is to provide such means which do not subject parts of the machine to high inertia.

Another object is to provide such means which adapt the machine for high speed operation to increase its production.

Another object is to provide such means which are readily adjustable to determine the rapidity with which the longitudinal movement of the guide bars may be effected.

A further object consists in the construction of elements and arrangement of parts of the machine whereby the foregoing objects and advantages may be accomplished.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects and advantages are accomplished by providig a continuous pattern cam drive, a rotatable pattern cam, and means associated with the drive for alternately increasing and decreasing the speed of rotation of the pattern cam, these means being arranged for causing the pattern cam to rotate at its greatest speed when the needles are up and the guides are back. This fast and slow movement does not alter the overall time required for the pattern cam to go through a complete cycle of movement, but

merely Varies the speed of rotation of the pattern cam at various phases in the cycle. The means for effecting the fast and slow movement are adjustable to provide for complementary fast and slow rotating speeds of the pattern cam of desired values.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a warp knitting machine illustrating the adaptation of the present invention, the machine being viewed from the front thereof.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the driving element of the fast and slow motion means.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the driven element of the fast and slow motion means.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line.4-4 on Figure 1, illustrating the driving and driven elements in assembled relation.

Figure 5 is a schematic end view illustrating the relative positions of the guide bar rocking cam and the fast and slow pattern cam motion means while the needles are down and the guides are in their forward position.

Figure 6 is a schematic end view, illustrating the relative positions of the guide bar rocking cam and the fast and slow pattern cam motion means which have more than one needle or on more than L one guide bar.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a warp knitting machine comprising a pair of spaced apart upright end frames ill and ii, a

cam shaft 52 rotatably supported by the frames, a guide bar rock shaft it, a guide bar it suspended from the rock shaft It, for longitudinal or endwise movement with respect thereto by a bracket means it (only one of such means being shown), and pattern cam means if, herein shown as of the chain link type for effecting the longitudinal movement of the guide bar.

The cam shaft 52 is continuously rotated during the operation of the machine by a drive (not shown) operatively connected to a gear l9 on the cam shaft. A rock shaft operating cam 21! is mounted on the cam shaft adjacent the gear l9 and has a generally elliptical groove 2i (Figures 5 and 6) for operating the rock shaft through two knitting cycles or courses for each revolution of the cam as is customary in high speed warp knitting machines. A follower 22 rides in the groove and is mounted on one end of a link 2d. The other end of the link 24 is pivotally connected to a crank 25 which is secured to the rock shaft at one end thereof. In order to render the link 24 effective to impart up and down movement to the crank responsive to the cam and cause rocking of the shaft M, a fulcrum link 253 has one end pivotally connected to the end of the link 24 carrying the cam follower and has its other end fulcrummed on the frame Ill at 21 (Figure 1).

"While not shown herein, warp knitting machines of the present'type are also provided with a needle bar of which upward and downward movement with respect to the guide bar is effected by means of cams mounted on the cam shaft 2 to thereby correlate the movements of the needle and guide bars. However, a needle bar 28 is shown schematically in Figures 5 and 6 to illustrate its positions with respect to the guide bar during knitting operation of the machine.

Endwise shifting of the guide bar i5 is effected by a pusher bar 3i! slidably mounted in a stationary guide or bearing block 3! supported on a bracket or platform 28 on the end frame I l. 'The pusher bar has a plate 32 at one end engaged by the end 53 of theguide bar during rocking movement thereof and has a roller 35 at its other end engaging the chain links of the pattern cam means ill. The end of the guide bar is urged against the plate 32 and the roller of the pusher bar in turn is urged against the chain links by a coil spring 35 having one end attached to the guide bar end 33 and having its other end attached to the bearing block 3 I The pattern cam means I? are driven by a shaft 4% which is rotated by the cam shaft l2, through sprockets ll and 42 connected by a chain 54, a fast and slow movement 45 about to be described in detail, a reduction gear box it, and a coupling 4?. The sprockets have a ratio of two to one, whereby, for each revolution of the cam shaft, the shaft is rotated twice.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the fast and slow movement comprises a base 56 having slots 55 therein for receiving bolts 52 secured to the bracket 2% a pair of spaced bearings 5d, and a shaft 55 extending through the bearings 54 having the sprocket 42 on one end thereof and having at its other end an element 58 for cooperating with another element 5'! operatively connected to the gear box drive shaft 59 for effecting the fast and slow rotative movement of the pattern cam.

The drive element 56 is illustrated in Figure 2 and comprises a circular disc 86 having a hub at its center for receiving the shaft 55, and an eccentrioally positioned projection such as a pin Bl having a roller E52 thereon.

The driven element 57 is illustrated in Figure 3 and comprises an elongate rectangular member having a hub at the middle thereof for receiving the gear box drive shaft 59 and having a diametrically extending slot, groove or track 66 for receiving the roller 62 as shown in Figure 4.

As will be observed from Figures 1 and 4, the shafts 55 and 59 are offset laterally and in effect are eccentrically disposed. Upon rotation of the disc til, the roller 52 rides in the slot 66 and acts to rotate the member 65 to provide a crank-like eccentric driving connection between the shafts 55 and 59. However, since the roller- 62 reciprocates in the slot 66 towards and away from the center of rotation of the member 55, alternate fast and slow rotative movement is imparted to the shaft 59. Thusly, when the roller 62 is in its nearest position to the center of the shaft 59, the shaft 5%! is rotated by a short crank arm B (Figure 6), whereby the speed of rotation of the shaft will closely approach that of the shaft 55. When the roller 62 is in its furthest position to the center of the shaft 59, the shaft is rotated by a longer crank arm A (Figure 5), whereby the speed of rotation of the shaft 59 is much less than when rotated by a short crank .arm' B. The fast and slow motion is transmitted to the pattern cam drive shaft 443 through the gear box 46 and the coupling 4.1, whereby the chain links alternately move fast and slow to control the shiftingjofv the guide bar at desired speeds while in various positions with respect to the needles.

In Figures 5 and 6 the relative positions of the rock shaft cam, the elements of the fast and slow movement 45, the guide bar 15 and the needle bar 28 are illustrated more or less schematically.

In Figure 5 the foregoing machine elements are shown in their positions when the needle bar is in its lowermost position and the guide bar is in its forward position. The cam follower 22 is about to ride over the dwell portion of the cam 20 which at this point does not change contour. Thusly, there is ample time for the guide bar to be shifted endwise, whereby the slow rotative transmitting movement of the elements 56 and 51 may be utilized. To illustrate this, the elements 5 5 and 51 are shown in position when relative slow rotative movement has been and is being imparted to the pattern cam. For example, in one position of adjustment, during about the next 90 of rotation of the drive element 56, the driven element 5'1 will be rotated about 65.

In Figure 6, the machine elements are shown in their position after about 180 rotation of the element 58, with the needle bar at its uppermost position and the guide bar at its rearward position. The cam follower is at the major axis of the cam 20 which at this point changes contour rapidly, whereb subsequent rearward and forward movement of the guide bar will take place rapidly. Consequently, there is little time for the guide bar to be shifted endwise when in its rearmost position before moving forward again and traversing the needles, whereby it is desirable to utilize the rapid rotative transmitting movement of the elements 50 and 5'1. To illustrate this, the elements 55 and 5'! are shown in position when relative fast rotative movement has been and is being imparted to the pattern cam. For example, during for about the next 90 of rotation of the drive element 55, the driven element 5? will be rotated about 115. The element 51 is rotating fastest at the time the follower is at the major aXis of the cam dwell and the needle bar is up and the guide bar is back. For example, in this position Of adjustment while the element 56 moves from a 180 position to a 190 position, the element 51 moves from a 130 position to a 201 position, whereby during rotation of the element 50, the element 51 is rotated 21, or about twice as fast. In this manner about twice as much angular rotation of the pattern cam is effected during this phase of the cycle as would normally be efiected without the means 45. As a result, rapid shifting of the guide bar is effected by the pattern cam.

Due to the two to one ratio of the sprockets 4| and 52, the elements 56 and 5'1 are rotated twice for each rotation of the guide bar rock shaft cam 20 and the needle bar cam (not shown) to thereby eifect fast and slow movement during each knitting cycle or course.

In operation of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, the ofr" center position of the shafts 55 and 59 represented by the distance C (Figures 5 and 6) can be adjusted by utilizing the slots 5| and bolts 52 for positioning the base 50 on which the shaft 55 is supported. The further apart the shafts 55 and 59 are positioned Off center, that is, the greater the distance 0. the greater will be the change in fast and slow movement. In this manner the eccentricity of the roller 62 with respect to the shaft 59 may be increased whereby the relatively long crank arm A is utilized to eifect slow movement and the relatively short crank arm B is utilized to effect rapid movement.

While a specific fast and slow movement has been illustrated and described by way of example, it will be apparent that other types of cocentric drives of the crank type may be utilized for effecting alternate fast and slow motion of the pattern cam.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention .provides an improved warp type knitting machine wherein the pattern cam is controlled by fast and slow motion means which effect most rapid rotation of the pattern cam when rapid longitudinal movement of the guide bar is required and effect complementary slow rotation of the pattern cam when there is sufiicient time to move the guide bar laterally, while maintaining the overall time of the cam pattern cycle constant. The means for accomplishing this are simple in design and economical to manufacture. The .parts comprising these means are rugged in construction and are readily adapted to withstand such rough usage to which they normally may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for imparting endwise movement to a longitudinally movable guide bar in a warp knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a driving member rotated continuously at a constant speed, a driven member associated with said driving member and arranged for effecting rotation of said cam, and mechanism operatively connecting said driving and driven members including cooperating crank means for alternately efiecting fast and slow rotation of said driven member.

2. Mechanism for imparting endwise movement to a longitudinally movable guide bar in a warp knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a member having an eccenrically located projection, and a member provided with a diametrically extending slot having said projection disposed therein, one of said members being a driving member rotated continuously at a constant speed and the other of said members being a driven member arranged for eifecting rotation of said cam whereby alternate fast and slow rotational movement is imparted to said driven member.

3. Mechanism for imparting endwise movement to a longitudinally movable guide bar in a warp knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a driving member rotated continuously at a constant speed having an eccentrically located roller mounted thereon and a driven member arranged for effecting rotation of said cam provided with a diametrically extending slot having said roller eccentrically disposed iztherein whereby alternate fast and slow rotational movement is imparted to said driven member. 4. Mechanism for imparting endWi-se movement to'a longitudinally movable guide bar in a warp -knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a driving member rotated continuously at a constant speed having an eccentrically located projection, a driven member arranged for efiecting rotation of said cam pro- 15 means for adjustably varying the eccentricity of said projection with respect to said driven mem- -ber.

5. Mechanism for imparting endvvise movement to a longitudinally movable guide bar in a warp knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a driving member rotated continuously at a constant speed, a driven member associated with said driving member and arranged for effecting rotation of said said driving and driven members having cooperating eccentric means for alternately eiiecting fast and slow rotation of said driven member, and means for adjustably varying the fast and slow rotation of said driven member.

6. Mechanism for imparting endwise movement to a longitudinally movable guide bar of a knitting machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam for imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, drive means for effecting rotation of said cam operated continuously at a constant speed, means operatively connecting said cam to said drive means for imparting alternate fast and slow rotative movement to said cam, whereby said cam is adapted to impart fast and slow longitudinal movement to the guide bar at desired intervals, and means for adjustably vary- 'ing' the fast: and slow-rotative movement imparted by said last mentioned means.

'7. "Mechanism for imparting endwise movement to-a longitudinally movable guide bar in a Warp knitting-machine, said mechanism comprising a pattern cam vfor imparting longitudinal movement to the guide bar, a drive for continuously rotating said cam including means for effecting fast and slow rotation of said cam, and means for adjustably varying the fast and slow rotation effected by said last mentioned means.

'8. Mechanism for imparting endwise movement 'to a longitudinally movable guide bar in a Warp the center of rotation of said driven member,

means for mounting said shaft, and means including a guide slot and clamp for varying the position of said mounting means to adjustably vary the eccentricity of said shaft and roller with respect to the center of rotation of said driven member.

JOHN R. MCLAUGHLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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